The iconic Korean drama Winter Sonata has been remade into a two-hour theatrical film through 4K remastering and re-editing, and officially opened in Japan on March 6.

According to production company Pan Entertainment, tickets for the preview screening held on February 26 at Shinjuku Piccadilly in Tokyo sold out immediately after opening.

Director Yoon Seok-ho attended the event and held a talk session with the audience, joined by Tanaka Misato, the Japanese voice actress for the character Yujin.

Originally aired in 2002, Winter Sonata is widely regarded as the starting point of the Korean drama boom in Japan and remains highly popular among Japanese viewers.

For the film version, director Yoon oversaw the entire production process, while music director Lee Ji-soo re-recorded the original soundtrack, including the famous OST “My Memory” with a full orchestra to recreate the drama’s emotional impact on the big screen.